1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system which is utilized by connecting peripheral apparatuses to a portable computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a computer system comprises a portable computer having an arithmetic and logic unit including a CPU, a memory and the like, and an input-output device such as a display device wherein inputting operations can be performed by a keyboard or pen input, and separately provided peripheral apparatuses which are utilized by being connected to the portable computer. Such peripheral apparatuses are, for example, input-output devices such as a printer, a CCD camera, or a TV tuner, and a power supply device such as an AC adapter, which are connected to the portable computer in accordance with their purpose.
The purpose of this computer system lies in that it is carried to various locations and used at those locations rather than used in a state in which it is fixed to a certain location. Normally, portable computers and peripheral apparatuses accordance to purpose of use are stored in a carrying case such as an attache case or a brief case to be moved to the place where they are to be used, and the portable computer and peripheral apparatuses are utilized at that place by being taken out and connected together.
Generally, since paper comes to mind as an object to be stored in a carrying case such as an attache case or brief case, the size thereof is often determined by a predetermined paper size. For example, American attache cases may be formed in sizes able to store American letter size paper in two side-by-side rows. Otherwise, in an attache case or brief case etc. which is meant to store paper having a predetermined size such as A-4 size, the size of the case is naturally determined by the paper size. Note that A-series size or B-series size designates a paper size prescribed by JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards).
Conventionally, where a portable computer, peripheral apparatuses and paper are to be stored in a carrying case which is produced to meet such a prescribed paper size, since the length-to-width area of a portable computer such as a so-called notebook computer is approximately A-4 size (210.times.297 mm), it is not possible to store the notebook computer and paper of American letter size arranged horizontally in an American attache case capable of accommodating paper of American letter size (216.times.279 mm) in two side-by-side rows.
On the other hand, in recent times, so-called sub-notebook computers of a size smaller than American letter size have been commercialized. In the case of a computer of, for example, B-5 size (182.times.257 mm), an allowance of approximately 22 mm in the longitudinal direction and 28 mm in the latitudinal direction is produced with respect to American letter size. However, peripheral apparatuses which conform to this horizontal space have not yet been commercialized, therefore the total size of a computer system combining a portable computer and peripheral apparatuses exceeds the prescribed size. Therefore, it is not possible to store such a computer system and paper side-by-side inside such a carrying case, so that they must be stored therein in a state wherein the computer system and the paper overlap. However, where the computer system and the paper are accommodated in an overlapped state, since there is little flexibility in the thickness of the carrying case, the number of sheets of paper which can be stored is restricted, due to which the case lacks practicality.
Further, in a carrying case the size of which is determined so as to store paper of a prescribed paper size arranged side-by-side, since the total size of the computer system exceeds the prescribed paper size, the remaining storage space excluding the computer system is restricted by the total size of the computer system, limiting the amount and size of objects which can be stored therein, and seriously hindering the effective usage thereof.
FIG. 6 shows a storage state of a conventional computer system in a carrying case. In FIG. 6, a computer system 1 comprises a portable computer 100, a first peripheral apparatus 200 and a second peripheral apparatus 300, which are stored in a carrying case 3 in an assembled state. In FIG. 6, the first peripheral apparatus 200 is arranged adjacent to the length side of the computer 100 opposite the side in which a latch 136 is provided, and the second peripheral apparatus 300 is arranged adjacent to and opposite the short side of the portable computer 100.
Accordingly, among the outer dimensions of the computer system 1, the length of one side thereof is equal to the length of the short side of the portable computer 100 added to the length of the short side of the first peripheral apparatus 200, and the length of the other side thereof is equal to the length of the long side of the portable computer 100 added to the length of the short side of the second peripheral apparatus 300. Since these outer dimensions exceed the size of paper which the carrying case 3 is designed to store, it is not possible to store paper 2 in the remaining marginal space, so that the paper 2 must be stored in a small space in the lid portion of the case, overlapping the computer system 1. Further, the residual marginal space is of a size which is not standard and which is determined by the outer dimensions of the computer system 1, and which therefore often becomes a useless space.
As prior art examples showing relationships between a portable computer and a storage case therefor, there are, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,590 (Portable Computer and Carrying Case for Mobile Office, Glenn R. Spragne, issued Jun. 6, 1989), U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,776 (Protective Carrying Case for Data Processing Equipment, Bradley J. Kabanuk et al., filed Nov. 3, 1988), U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,628 (Modular Portable Work Station having a Movable Support Tray, George M. Bradbury, issued May 18, 1993), U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,953 (Apparatus for Retaining and Electrically Interconnecting Multiple Devices, Tom B. Lindberg et al., issued Jun. 13, 1993), U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,056 (Portable Office, Farrukh Zia et al., issued Sep. 7, 1993), U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,332 (Crease, filed April, 1988), U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,988 (Expandable Shock Protected Carrying Case, Lauren Brown, filed Mar. 19, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,338 (Held, filed April, 1992), Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 162723/1987 (Document Forming and Editing Device, Takahiro Iwasaka et al., Oct. 16, 1987), Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 121427/1991 (Portable Computer Terminal Set, Toshio Oka, Dec. 12, 1991), Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 62726/1993 (Separate Type Portable Computer, Kikou Ma, Sep. 3, 1993) and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 87620/1993 (Attache Case Incorporating Electric Cables for a Personal Computer, Keiji Morino, Nov. 26, 1993). Further, with respect to a portable computer provided with apparatuses on both sides thereof, there is, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,764 (Modular Computer System with Portable Travel Unit, Isaac Levanon, issued Sep. 6, 1988). Also, with respect to peripheral apparatuses and the like, there are, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,690 (Portable Computer and Carrying case for Mobile Office, Glenn R. Spragne, issued Jun. 6, 1989), U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,776 (Protective Carrying case for Data Processing Equipment, Bradley J. Kabanuk et al., filed Nov. 3, 1988), U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,628 (Modular Portable Work Station having a Movable Support Tray, George M. Bradbury, issued May 18, 1993), U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,764 (Modular Computer System with Portable Travel Unit, Isaac Levanon, issued Sep. 6, 1988), U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,658 (Apparatus for Connecting Computer Components, Charles E. Hanebath, issued No. 29, 1988), U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,222 (Arrangement of Components in a Laptop Computer system, R. Richard Cater et al., issued Feb. 20, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,949 (Locking Mechanism and Support Legs for Removable Display Assembly, Matthew A. Herron, issued Sep. 18, 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,128 (Docking Module, Mattbew A. Herron, issued Jul. 9, 1991), U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,045 (Battery and Expansion Slot Changeable Computer, Hsi K. Ma, issued Oct. 15, 1991), U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,401 (Lap Top Computer with Tilting Mechanism Consisting of a Battery Pack Pivotally Attached on a Rear Surface, Jaesam Yoan, issued Apr. 21, 1992), U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,105 (Portable Electronic Apparatus having a Battery Pack with a Mechanism for Latching and an Independent Mechanism for Temporarily Preventing Detachment, Takaichi Kobayashi, issued Oct. 5, 1993), Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 66726/1993 (Separate Type Portable Computer, Kikou Ma, Sep. 3, 1993) and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 87620/1993 (Attache Case Incorporating Electric Cables for a Personal Computer Set, Keiji Morino, Nov. 26, 1993). Further, with respect to a paper guiding tray, there are, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,431 (Carrying Case for Storing a Computer and a Printer Operatively Connected Thereto, James W. Reel, issued Dec. 13, 1988), U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,658 (Apparatus for Connecting Computer Components, Charles E. Hanebath, issued Nov. 29, 1988), Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 12154/1993 (Printer Device, Hidemi Doi, Feb. 19, 1993) and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 16336/1993 (Printer, Hiroyuki Harada et al., Mar. 2, 1993). With respect to a portable computer having an engaging portion, there are, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,045 (Battery and Expansion Slot Changeable Computer, Hsi K. Ma, issued Oct. 15, 1991) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,105 (Portable Electronic Apparatus having a Battery Pack with a Mechanism for Latching and an Independent Mechanism for Temporarily Preventing Detachment, Takaichi Kobayashi, issued Oct. 5, 1993). With respect to installing buttons on side portions of an apparatus, there are, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 149437/1990 (Laptop Computer, Tokumasa Ishitobi, Dec. 20, 1990), Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 204539/1993 (Computer Device, Takashi Arita, Aug. 13, 1993), Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 20132/1993 (Home Position Movable Mouse Type Pointing Device, Eiji Ito, Mar. 12, 1993) and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 40938/1993 (Mouse Type Pointing Device having a Fine Adjusting Mechanism, Eiji Ito, Jun. 1, 1993).